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1/23/2011 - Boykin, Glenn talk of decision to return for senior year - Rising seniors Brandon Boykin and Cordy Glenn flirted with the NFL before the deadline for underclassmen to apply came on Jan. 15. But both student-athletes elected to stay, citing a myriad of factors for their decisions. “Well I guess Ill start broad and just talk about the goal that I have coming back to be a Georgia Bulldog as well as the team goals … everybody knows that we ended 6-7, disappointing season that nobody really, you know, is proud of,” said Boykin, a defensive back teammates say is the most athletic on the team. “Everybody has high hopes for next year, so just coming back and being able to be a part of something and getting back on track for the Georgia program is one of the things personally. I actually graduate in December so that’s a big reason why as well, coming back and getting my degree.” Glenn, a 6-foot-5, 320-pound guard, offered...READ MORESOURCE: Zach Dillard, Red and Black

1/21/2011 - Floyd back at Notre Dame to prove NFL wrong - Michael Floyd said he's not ready to enter "the real world." He said he wants to earn the degree that his mother values above all else. He said he wants to leave with his classmates. He said, in short, all the things you'd expect him to say about returning to Notre Dame. But he also confirmed what the quotes released by the school didn't on the day the Irish's star receiver announced his intent to return for his senior year: That the third-round evaluation he received from the NFL gave him pause -- and then reason enough to come back and prove it inaccurate. "The feedback that I got just wasn't something that I thought was the best for me," Floyd said Friday, in his first non-press release comments since the decision. "I know coming back, I can raise that up higher than what I want. With this year, I'll work hard and do whatever it takes to get that stock up, get the highest I can get." He conceded he was "a little bit" surprised at the evaluation the NFL Advisory Committee handed down...READ MORESOURCE: Brian Hamilton, The Chicago Tribune

1/21/2011 - Ohio State Buckeyes football underclassmen are all in for 2011 season - The fulfillment of the pledge overshadowed the reality of the returns. When the NFL released its official list Wednesday of the record 56 underclassmen who declared for the NFL Draft, it revealed that the five Ohio State Buckeyes suspended for the start of the 2011 season had kept their promises, when many had assumed a little deceit. The group included four juniors with legitimate NFL options -- quarterback Terrelle Pryor, receiver DeVier Posey, offensive tackle Mike Adams and running back Dan Herron -- and even after OSU coach Jim Tressel explained that the only way they could play against Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl was to stay and face their NCAA punishment in September, well, come on. "Some guys have different situations, and I think some guys pledged and some guys, you know, we were just basically saying sorry," Pryor said in New Orleans, fueling the idea that at least someone would turn pro. "I can't really think that if they would choose to...READ MORESOURCE: Doug Lesmerises, The Cleveland Plain Dealer

1/16/2011 - New leaders must emerge next season - Losing 24 seniors, including 10 starters, meant that defining new leaders was going to be a major challenge for the Ohio State football team in 2011. But now the Buckeyes will do so knowing that five seniors are facing five-game NCAA suspensions this fall. "I don't think it's going to be easy at all," receiver Dane Sanzenbacher said. "It's going to be interesting to see how it all plays out." Sanzenbacher knows leadership. Going into the 2010 season, he was elected one of six captains. By season's end, he was voted team MVP and most inspirational player. His eligibility exhausted, he's now an observer of what promises to be a curious offseason and beginning to the 2011 season. The five players - left tackle Mike Adams, tailback Daniel Herron...READ MORESOURCE: Tim May, The Columbus Dispatch

1/15/2011 - Injury played role in Mark Barron's return to Alabama - Mark Barron hated sitting on that bicycle seat. Day after day while his Alabama teammates prepared for the Capital One Bowl, Barron pedaled. The Crimson Tide's leading tackler could do little else, his right arm hung up in a sling as he recovered from surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle. The injury played a significant role in Barron's decision to return to Alabama for his senior season instead of testing the NFL draft. "It had a lot to do with my decision," the former St. Paul's star said Saturday. "This really was the first time I ever had any kind of serious injury, so it was pretty frustrating." Barron said he used feedback from the NFL draft advisory board and NFL connections through Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban before making his final decision on Friday...READ MORESOURCE: Izzy Gould, The Birmingham News

1/15/2011 - After waver, James stays - Today is the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft and, as expected, Oregon star running back LaMichael James will not include his name on the early-entry list. On Dec. 30, James released a statement through the athletic department to announce his decision to return to the UO football team for the 2011 season. However, in the days after Oregon’s 22-19 loss to Auburn in the BCS National Championship game on Monday, James strongly reconsidered his decision to stay, according to a source. On Friday night, James reaffirmed his commitment to the Ducks, the source said. As a redshirt sophomore three years removed from high school, James is eligible for April’s NFL draft. Early draft projections had pegged him as a second- or third-round pick. James’ friend and fellow Texan Quizz Rodgers, Oregon State’s standout junior running back, declared himself available for the draft on Monday...READ MORESOURCE: Adam Jude, The Register-Guard

1/15/2011 - Barron announces he'll stay - University of Alabama defensive back Mark Barron announced he would return to UA for his senior season, and pass on the opportunity to make himself eligible for the NFL Draft. Barron said a torn pectoral muscle, from which his rehabilitation will continue for roughly two more months, played a significant role in his decision. "It played an important role in a big decision," said Barron. "That made it even more frustrating. It was frustrating but I feel I made the right decision in doing what I'm doing." Barron declined to speculate whether he would have turned pro absent the injury. As it stands, the Crimson Tide will welcome back its leading tackler from the 2010 season and the most veteran presence in the UA secondary. "Mark has been a great player for us, and has been as productive as any player on our team. That is including the guys who are going out for the draft," Saban said...READ MORESOURCE: Chase Goodbread, TideSports.com

1/14/2011 - Defensive leaders Trevathan, Guy to return for senior seasons at Kentucky - As it turned out, the University of Kentucky will be losing only one of its All-Americans. Junior linebacker Danny Trevathan has decided to return to UK in 2011, the school announced Friday. Trevathan had one of the best seasons ever by a Wildcats defender in 2010, garnering first-team All-America honors from Collegefootballnews.com, making him the first linebacker in school history to earn such a distinction. He led the Southeastern Conference in tackles (144) and was a consensus first-team All-SEC selection. Trevathan, a Florida native, had been projected as a fourth- or fifth-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Junior receiver Randall Cobb announced his intention to enter the draft on Thursday. "I feel like I have a lot of unfinished business...READ MORESOURCE: Chip Cosby, The Lexington Herald Leader

1/14/2011 - Trevathan, Guy will return for senior years - Trevathan is expected to graduate in December. His evaluation placed him as a fourth or fifth round draft pick. He led the Southeastern Conference in tackles this year and led the team or tied for the team lead in tackles for loss, forced fumbles and sacks. He was named All-SEC despite playing for a defense that surrendered over 28 points per game. “I have unfinished business,” Guy said in the release. “This is my time to step up and be a leader for this team. I’m going to try to be more vocal and lead the team by how I work. I love that I’m going to get to play with Danny another year. I want to do everything I can to be the best player and student I can be. I talked to my parents. My mom said the NFL will always be there. She wants me to graduate.” It’s unknown what Guy’s NFL stock was. He finished the year second on the team in tackles with 81, and led the team with...READ MORESOURCE: BW Jones, UK The Kentucky Kernel

1/14/2011 - Richardson staying at Vanderbilt - He heard from National Football League scouts, the Commodores’ new coaching staff and his family before reaching a decision. After weeks of deliberation, Linden High School alumnus Sean Richardson will remain at Vanderbilt for his senior season. “It’s an opportunity to get a great education at Vanderbilt,” Richardson, a Human Organizational Development major on the Health and Human Services tracks, said. Richardson heard plenty of assessments from scouts before making up his mind, but ultimately boiled his decision down to one thing: his desire to get better. “Speaking with the new coaches and sitting down and talking to my family about it, we determined it would be best for me to stay in school,” Richardson said Friday afternoon, less than 24 hours from the deadline...READ MORESOURCE: Jeremy Smith, The Demopolis Times

1/14/2011 - Jeff Fuller Forgoes NFL Draft, Will Return for Senior Season - All-Big 12 wide receiver Jeff Fuller has decided to forgo his inclusion in the 2011 NFL Draft and return for his senior season at Texas A&M, head coach Mike Sherman announced on Friday. With Fuller's return, the Aggies return 10 of 11 starters from an A&M offense that averaged 441.8 yards of total offense per game in 2010, including 276.8 passing yards per contest. The Aggies finished the season with a 9-4 record and a No. 19 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25, which was A&M's first final top 25 ranking in more than 10 years. "We're extremely happy that Jeff decided to return to A&M for his senior season," Sherman said. "He will be closer to earning his degree and will be an excellent senior leader on our team." Fuller, from McKinney Boyd High School, had a record-setting season in 2010 with 72 catches for 1,066 yards and 12 touchdowns, which tied or broke...READ MORESOURCE: Texas A&M, footballAggies will have largest senior class of the Sherman era in 2011

1/14/2011 - Trevathan, Guy Return for 2011 - “Unfinished business” was the common thread for Kentucky All-America linebacker Danny Trevathan and All-Southeastern Conference safety Winston Guy, who have decided to return for their senior seasons after going through the National Football League draft evaluation process. “I feel like I have a lot of unfinished business,” Trevathan said. “Overall, I just want to win and get the program where it needs to be. “My evaluation (from the NFL) came back good but the easy way is not always the best way. I waited this long for the NFL, it can wait (another year). I want to enhance my game. I’m 228 (pounds), I want to work toward 235 or 240. I’m definitely going to finish school and that opens more windows in my life.” Trevathan expects to graduate in December 2011. The junior from Leesburg, Fla., led the SEC in the 2010 season with 144 tackles, the most for a Wildcat since...READ MORESOURCE: Kentucky, football

1/14/2011 - Polk Makes It Official: He's Back For 2011 - University of Washington tailback Chris Polk confirmed Friday that he will return to the Husky football team for the 2011 season. Polk, from Redlands, Calif., will be a fourth-year junior in 2011. Because he redshirted his freshman season in 2008, he was eligible to enter the 2011 NFL Draft had he chosen to, despite having just completed his sophomore year. In 2010, he rushed for 1,415 yards, second most in Husky history. "I thought it would be better for me to stay at the UW," Polk said. "I came here to get a degree and I'm really close to that, so why not finish? I'm not ready to leave the college atmosphere and my teammates just yet. "We have a young team and a lot of great players coming back," he continued. "I'm really looking forward to next year...READ MORESOURCE: Washington, football

1/13/2011 - Twice as nice: Stars Weeden, Blackmon to return to OSU - As Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy dined on a grilled-chicken salad at a nearby restaurant, All-Big 12 quarterback Brandon Weeden and All-American wide receiver Justin Blackmon announced that they had decided to stay with the Cowboys instead of entering the NFL draft. Gundy himself did not watch or listen to Wednesday's hastily arranged news conference at Gallagher-Iba Arena. "No," he explained. "I was eating lunch." But because other restaurant patrons reacted loudly and happily while using their smart phones to monitor the Weeden-Blackmon revelation, Gundy knew what had transpired. The most prolific passer and most prolific pass-catcher in program history are returning for another shot at the Big 12 title and a bid to surpass the 11-win total recorded in 2010. "It should be tremendous for season-ticket sales," Gundy said. Weeden, who as a first-year starter became OSU's first...READ MORESOURCE: Bill Haisten, Tulsa World

1/13/2011 - McNutt sticks with Hawkeyes - About 3 p.m. Wednesday on his Facebook page, Iowa junior wide receiver Marvin McNutt issued this status update: “I’m going back." Social media is now the new Associated Press. The UI confirmed McNutt’s Facebook status about an hour later. “I was very happy to learn this morning of Marvin’s intentions to finish his career at Iowa as a senior next fall,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said in the release. “Marvin has done some tremendous things for our team the past several years and we anticipate him enjoying a very productive year as both a player and team leader in his senior year.” McNutt led the Hawkeyes in receptions (53) and receiving yards (861) in 2010. He had eight touchdown receptions and was named second-team all-Big Ten by league coaches...READ MORESOURCE: Marc Morehouse, The Gazette